Production is underway on autonomous combat aircrafts 30 minutes south of Columbus, just 18 months after Anduril Industries announced its Ashville facilities.
Monday morning, under the fluorescent “Arsenal-1” warehouse lighting, Anduril executives—joined by government officials, manufacturing workers and their families—showed off Anduril’s first finished FQ-44. Nicknamed the “Fury,” the drone model being built is for the U.S. Air Force, which inked a contract with Anduril six months ago.
“It's the most loyal wingman,” John Malone, who oversees FQ-44 manufacturing, told reporters Monday. “It flies in formation with crewed fighter jets.”
Across three shifts, Malone said Arsenal-1 could build as many as 12 of the FQ-44 each month.
Gov. Mike DeWine was there for the unveiling. DeWine said when Anduril “says they’re going to do something, they just do it and they just get it done.”
He also credited the state’s business climate as some of the reason for the quick turnaround.
“There’s a reason Anduril came here,” DeWine told reporters. “And the fact that, 10 days ago or so, CNBC ranked us #1 in the environment for business, it really says it all.”
Still, the defense contractor secured $310 million in grants from JobsOhio over the next 10 years, through 2035, which totals more than one-third of Anduril’s $910 million commitment.
And last year, the Ohio Department of Development’s Tax Credit Authority also greenlit a 2.59% refundable Job Creation Tax Credit, ending in 2055. Anduril could see more than $450 million in incentives from that tax break alone, DeWine’s office said then.
By committing to create 4,008 jobs, Anduril takes the title for the largest single direct job creation in Ohio, held by Intel before.
A spokesperson said Monday that Arsenal-1 has about 140 workers already, with listings online advertising 95 jobs in Ashville.
